As the cost associated with production of machined metal parts has increased over the years, many manufacturers have turned to the use of thermoplastic parts. Thermoplastic parts, unlike metal, can be easily molded into very intricate shapes which are more economical to manufacture. In addition, the resulting parts are generally lighter in weight than a machined metal part. One problem associated with the use of thermoplastic parts is their general lack of high heat resistance, lack of good impact strength and being subject to the natural elements.
One thermoplastic which has been very successful as a substitute for metal is polyetherimide. Polyetherimides are commercially sold by General Electric Company under the trademark Ultem.RTM.. A polyetherimide that is sold under the Ultem.RTM. trademark is derived from bisphenol A dianhydride and m-phenylene diamine. Whereas, the principal uses for this polyetherimide include applications in automotive, aerospace and electrical, there are still some applications which metal is still preferred from a performance standpoint. In response to this need, extensive research and development has occurred in areas of polymer alloys or polyetherimide blends such as polyetherimide/polycarbonate blends; polyetherimide/polyterephthalate-carbonate/polyester blends; and polyetherimide/fluorinated polyolefin blends. Unfortunately, the current polyetherimides and the polyetherimide blends still lack some properties, namely, thermal resistance, chemical resistance and impact, which may result in an inferior product.
Therefore, there exists a need for a thermoplastic polymer which has high thermal stability, high mechanical strength and high chemical resistance which can be used as a replacement for metal.